Sometimes Sacrifice is What's Needed
by CallOfTheLoneWolf
Summary: He was given a choice. Live on and help your loved ones survive in a wrecked world. Or. Give a sacrifice to try to save them all. Now, what type of decision is that?
1. Chapter 1

Sasuke had fallen, Gaara had fallen, even Tsunade had collapsed from exhaustion. He was the last of their fighters able to stand up to the power before them. And if not for their faint heartbeats he would have too. As he looked over he could see Gaara's sand still protecting the one he loved from unconsciousness, it wrapping Sasuke and himself in a cocoon before being carried away by their soldiers.

He was Commander now. The Kage had fallen, only kept alive by Sakura and Kurama's chakra, and no one else was willing to step up.

"Naruto, what do we do now? Sasuke has collapsed, and nobody else is strong enough to face him I mean we cou—" Naruto just held his hand up and smiled, the kind smile that he rarely showed. The smile that he had learned from his Jiji. Sakura had done all she could, hell, they all had. But he would be damned to hell before he let another life be taken.

"Order a full retreat, take the army as far away from this place as possible. I'll cover your retreat and hopefully take the bastard with me." His statement was met with shocked silence, all of them floored except for Shikamaru. Hn, damn Nara was always smarter than he could help. He received a nod from the brunette, already spreading his shadows to grab the others.

"Naruto you can't! Everyone needs you, we need someone to lead us! We—" but she couldn't even finish her words as shadows restrained them all. Naruto gave Shikamaru a thankful smile as he walked towards Madara. He stared into the eyes of his previous lover as he tried to rip off the chains that bound him. This man was not the one he cared for, fell for. He pivoted on his foot and turned towards his people. Those of the World.

He took a deep breath in the silence, flaring his chakra and in turn waking up all who had passed out. "Shinobi of the World. I am ordering you to a full retreat. Take your loved ones and go! As far away from here as possible, and don't worry, I'll be covering your retreat!" Cries of outrage filled the air, but were abruptly cut off when a malevolent chakra burst into the air.

"Naruto don't you dare!" But before the last Uchiha could do anything Naruto had already slapped his hand onto the ground, a seal spreading out before a silvery white barrier in the shape of a sphere with many sides sprung into existence around him and his enemy. Sasuke had moved just as soon as he had, but had been to slow. Next to him was Sakura, and Kakashi, both holding terrified looks on their faces.

"Naruto, as your Sensei I'm demanding you tell me what this is." Kakashi voice was panicked, he damn well knew what it was, his own Sensei had theorized of this technique, but had burned the notes due to the danger. But apparently not all of them.

Naruto smiled. "Like Father like Son huh Kakashi-sensei? This is the last Sealing Art of the Uzumaki, and the only one they could never complete, not even my father. It is called the One Thousand Reflections of Life, and uses the users Life Energy to create an unbreakable barrier, but once the technique is released the Essence tries to return to its owner which is impossible, thus creating an explosion greater than any Tailed Beast Bomb. In fact, it would destroy the world. But I have perfected it, devising a way to contain the explosion." His face turned grim from behind the barrier. "The only downside is that the user has to stay inside the barrier, thus making it impossible to survive."

They had nothing to say to that, there was nothing to say. Sakura just placed her hand on the barrier, Sasuke's on top of hers and Kakashi doing the same. Naruto smiled as tears fell from their eyes, he placed his hand upon the barrier, feeling their life through it as he brought his cloak into being. His eyes closed as tears filled them. "Now go and finish what I started, unite the world as I never could." They gave him a nod as they were dragged away from the barrier, his friends each placing their hand upon the barrier in a final show of recognition. And as they ran off into the distance he turned to face his love.

"I guess this is it Madara, our final time together after all of this hate." The Uchiha just looked at him, his emotions long since left though something still flickered there.

"Yes, I guess it is Naru."


	2. Chapter 2

They just stared at each other. It was all they could do. Lovers. Lovers who broke apart due to a thirst for power. Madara had destroyed it all for the promise of power, and he had damn sure got it.

Red eyes opened again, the design in them once used to memorize every inch of him, every _place_ that he enjoyed. Now they were used to kill, to maim. It tore him to pieces. What was once used to love him had turned and been used to murder his friends. His _comrades_.

Oh, Naruto was _furious_.

He managed to breath out one word, which sounded like a borderline snarl. " _Why_."

Madara looked shocked for a split second, but quickly fixed his expression. "You know why, or do I have to explain it to you again you impute—"

" ** _Shut Up!_** " It was the first time he had heard Naruto yell. But before he could even react he was lifted off the ground by his collar, the chains moving with him, to come face to face with blond. His eyes had turned purple, a color honestly more terrifying than red, as his pupils turned into slits. "I'm _tired_ of your _shit_!" He was thrown to the ground, still restrained.

However it was not over as Naruto had fallen to his knees clutching his heart, face showing a picture of excruciating pain. Madara felt a flicker of worry course through him. "Are you Al-"

"Shut the hell up!" The ninja glared at him, one his eyes now red instead of purple. "You lost all rights to care for my wellbeing when you betrayed me!" Tears were now falling freely, hurting the older man when he realized he was the cause. "You told me you wanted a world where no one you loved would die! You said that! But you also told me that you loved me more than anything you had ever known!" Naruto had collapsed at that point, tears on his face as his grip on his chest weakened. His last words to Madara were some of the most hateful things he'd ever spoken. "Well I hope you die happy knowing the fact that the **_thing_** that killed the person you loved was _you_ , not the world." And he stopped breathing. The chains that held Madara had broken and the barrier was pulsing, but he didn't care, he had realized his mistake too late, once again. He rushed over to the still warm body, clutching it to his chest as he held him one last time. He didn't know it but tears of blood had slipped from his eyes as they rapidly switched from form to form. He was broken, and he had no one to blame but himself, he had done this.

He pressed his face into Naruto's hair, taking in his scent one last time. " _I'm sorry Naru_ ," he whispered, " _I'm so, so **sorry**_." But sometimes sorry doesn't cut it.

The barrier flashed around them as it slowly started to break, changing the world forever.

* * *

He had left the living for the final time, but he needed to do one last thing.

"Kurama." The fox looked at him with a final grin, letting him know that he was ready to pass on too.

" **We had a good run brat. I'm just glad I could spend it with you.** " He held out his fist for his final gesture. But Naruto moved pat him and hugged him as best as he could. The Nine-Tails returned it as best as he could, wrapping his tails and arms around him. Kurama could feel them both weakening as their energy ebbed away. But something was off. He stepped back and looked at his partner. He saw a solemn grin and knew something was wrong. " **Naruto, what did you do.** "

A tear fell down his already wet face. "Its been great Kurama, all the times we shared, even when you were just a fluffy jerk. Wow, I hope the afterlife is fun cause I'm definitely—" He could feel it, Naruto was doing something.

" **Naruto what the hell did you do!** " He gave one last smile before one of the walls of the sewer crumbled away leading to a white beyond.

"Well, I may be dying but you're not finished just yet Kurama. When the seal releases you should be able to reform in a couple of years, same with your siblings. Just do me a favor and do what I couldn't. Promise?" Kurama could feel himself being dragged into the light. No, no no no. He wouldn't leave him like this.

" **Naruto stop! You're not thinking clearly!** " He struck his claws into the ground as he felt the ground giving way.

"Kurama, you've gotta promise me, it's the only way I'll be able to rest. Believe it." He was beginning to fade away now.

Kurama was panicking at this point, he couldn't, no not like this. " **I promise! But Naruto come with me! We can fix this, we can—** " He was yanked back quickly this time, almost losing purchase as he slid away.

Naruto smiled one last time. "Thanks Kurama. I can honestly say you were my best friend, my family." He gave a sad chuckle as he faded the last bit. "I guess I won't get to be Hokage huh?" And he was gone. Kurama felt tears fall as he tried to stay but was pulled away.

" ** _NARUTOOOOO_!**"

* * *

There's a weird thing that happens when the life force of two near gods are released upon the world. When the people turned to look back as a white pillar filled the sky they were hit by a wave of, life. Its embrace reaching out to touch every corner of the Elemental Nations.

In Iwa the cold was swept away and the sun shone brightly, giving to the growth of plants that were there as crops miraculously sprung up, filling the area.

Suna was the site of many trees bursting from the dust as rivers of water flowed through the sands, nourishing the people and making the silt rich in nutrients.

Mizu's everlasting mist lifted showing the sun to all who could see, letting its people bask in its warmth.

In Kumo the weather lifted and all was well.

Finally in Konoha a tree grew to heights above the Kage mountain and rose to the clouds.

But in a hidden clearing in the Land of Fire where a Red and Yellow flower lay, it rained.


End file.
